The Adirondack Thunder had a busy Thursday as they announced two trades as Pete MacArthur continues to shake up the Thunder roster. This is the first time MacArthur has made a trade during the regular season.
Keanan Stewart Headed to Iowa
The Adirondack Thunder have announced that they’ve traded forward Keanan Stewart to the Iowa Hearlanders in exchange for the rights to forward Jake Durflinger. Stewart, 24, has played in 11 games with the Thunder this season while picking up two assists after beginning his pro career last season with the Cincinnati Cyclones, where he had one goal and three assists for four points in 16 games. The Guelph, Ontario native spent his collegiate career at Mercyhurst University, where he had 18 goals and 11 assists for 29 points in 85 games. The trade to Iowa will give Stewart more playing time, as Adirondack had a very crowded group of forwards, and MacArthur has been looking to shake things up recently.
Durflinger,27, has spent the season playing with the Manchester Storm of the EIHL, putting up six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 11 games. Prior to going overseas, he spent two years in the ECHL with the Heartlanders, where he put up 19 goals and 28 assists for 47 points in 104 games. Prior to going pro, he spent four years at the University of Denver and his final year at Merrimack College. In his five years at the NCAA level, he had 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points. It is unknown at the moment if he is expected to return from Europe and join the Thunder this season.
Sam Ruffin Traded To Adirondack
Adirondack’s first trade of the day was with the Indy Fuel, who acquired Sam Ruffin in exchange for future considerations. Ruffin,26, is in his second season in the ECHL. He’s played in 36 games with the Fuel, putting up two goals and six assists for eight points, all of which came in 30 games during the 2023-24 season. Prior to going pro, the Westfield, Indiana native played five seasons at the NCAA level, including a year at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, before spending his last four years at Adrian College. Throughout his five seasons at the NCAA level, he would put up 50 goals and 94 assists for 144 points in 132 games. I would expect Ruffin to be a bottom-six player for the Thunder once he joins the team.
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